Acholi bed cover
Other views of this artifact:
Accession Number:
1998.9.11
Country:
Uganda , [Sudan]
Region:
Masindi District Kibanda County Kiryandongo Refugee Settlement [Southern Sudan]
Cultural Group:
Acholi?
Maker:
Elizabeth Miriam Laker
Date Made:
By 1997
Materials:
Textile , Cotton Yarn Plant
Process:
Chequer Woven , Stitched , Embroidered , Decorated
Dimensions:
Max L = 1890, W = 1620 and 1628 at either short end; W of individual cloth segments = 426, 830 and 400 mm; decorated area L = 442, W = 390 [RTS 22/2/2005].
Weight:
529.8 g
Local Name:
cuka
Other Owners:
Made by Elizabeth Miriam Laker, Bought from the Imotong Women's Group for 10,000 Ugandan shillings by Tania Kaiser in 1997; sold to the PRM 19th January 1998
Field Collector:
Tania Kaiser
PRM Source:
Tania Kaiser
Acquired:
Purchased 19 January 1998
Collected Date:
1997
Description:
Bed cover made from 3 rectangular panels of dark blue cloth woven in a simple checkweave pattern of over 1, under 1 (Pantone 2758C).
These have been sewn together along their long edges, with the widest piece in the centre, flanked by the narrower ones.
This could fit a single mattress width, with the attached panels hanging down on either side of the bed.
The stitching has been done on a sewing machine, using a simple running stitch in bright pink cotton thread (Pantone 218C), with 2 parallel rows along each join.
The top and bottom edges have been folded over to create a hem, finished with similar stitches.
The long sides have not been hemmed, as they have been made from the machine-finished edges of their respective pieces of cloth and would therefore not be expected to fray.
The bedspread has been decorated with an embroidered design at the centre, executed using cotton thread in a satin stitch.
This consists of a sub-rectangular frame, with the top and bottom sides composed of a series of large 5-petalled flowers in various shades of light pink (Pantone 196C) and red (Pantone 186C), with stems varying from yellow (Pantone 7401C) to brown (Pantone 732C), and long curling light (Pantone 344C) to dark green leaves (Pantone 349C).
These are mixed with smaller 6-petalled circular flowers with a central dot in red and their own sets of leaves and stems.
At the centre, there is a linking motif in cream to brown thread, in the form of a double-sided scallop, or pair of parallel waves, linked at their ends.
This motif is also used in a longer chain to create the short vertical side elements of the frame.
The yarn that has been used to create this design appears to have been dyed so the tone varies along its length, from shades of light to dark.
The pattern is very symmetrical, with opposite sides of the frame mirroring each other, with the exception of the 'wave' design, which has more peaks on the left side than on the right.
The object is complete, and in fair condition, although there are numerous areas of surface dirt.
Some threads are pulling along the joined edges on the underside, and there are numerous creases where the cover has been folded.
It has a weight of 529.8 grams, and has a maximum length of 1890 mm and width of 1620 mm at one side, and 1628 mm across the other.
The individual pieces of cloth that make up the cover are 426, 830 and 400 mm wide respectively, moving from left to right across the upper surface.
The decorated area is 442 mm long and 390 mm wide.
This cover was made by Elizabeth Miriam Laker, and bought from the Imatong Women's Group for 10,000 Ugandan shillings by Tania Kaiser in 1997, who sold it to the Pitt Rivers Museum on 19th January 1998. For details of Kaiser's work at the Refugee settlement, see: T. Kaiser, 1999, Living in Limbo: Insecurity and the Settlement of Sudanese Refugees in Northern Uganda (Unpublished PhD); T. Kaiser, "Making Do and Making Beautiful: Recycling in an African Refugee Settlement", in: J. Coote, C. Morton and J. Nicholson (eds), Transformations, the Art of Recyclying, 44-47; T. Kaiser, 2000, UNHCR's Withdrawal from Kiryandongo: Anatomy of a Handover , New Issues in Refugee Research Working Paper No. 32, 1, 3.
The Acholi name for this object is cuka. Compare this with embroidered tablecloth 1998.9.12, where the stitching is designed to be viewed from both sides; this also makes use of similar varicoloured yarn. These sorts of handicrafts are made either individually by women, to use, or as gifts, or by women's groups associated with churches or small local development projects, as was the case with this object. These tended to be sold within the community, and some women complained that they lacked the materials needed to carry out this kind of work.
Rachael Sparks 29/8/2005.
This cover was made by Elizabeth Miriam Laker, and bought from the Imatong Women's Group for 10,000 Ugandan shillings by Tania Kaiser in 1997, who sold it to the Pitt Rivers Museum on 19th January 1998. For details of Kaiser's work at the Refugee settlement, see: T. Kaiser, 1999, Living in Limbo: Insecurity and the Settlement of Sudanese Refugees in Northern Uganda (Unpublished PhD); T. Kaiser, "Making Do and Making Beautiful: Recycling in an African Refugee Settlement", in: J. Coote, C. Morton and J. Nicholson (eds), Transformations, the Art of Recyclying, 44-47; T. Kaiser, 2000, UNHCR's Withdrawal from Kiryandongo: Anatomy of a Handover , New Issues in Refugee Research Working Paper No. 32, 1, 3.
The Acholi name for this object is cuka. Compare this with embroidered tablecloth 1998.9.12, where the stitching is designed to be viewed from both sides; this also makes use of similar varicoloured yarn. These sorts of handicrafts are made either individually by women, to use, or as gifts, or by women's groups associated with churches or small local development projects, as was the case with this object. These tended to be sold within the community, and some women complained that they lacked the materials needed to carry out this kind of work.
Rachael Sparks 29/8/2005.
Primary Documentation:
Day book entry -
20/1[/98].
D[onation].
MdA.
[donor] TANIA KAISER.
1998.9.
AFRICA, UGANDA, MASINIDI DISTRICT, KIRYANDONGO REFUGEE SETTLEMENT.
Collection of objects collected by donor.
Accession entry - Embroidered bed cover. The cloth consists of three royal blue panels, with red stitching joining the panels together and around the edges. Two of the panels are plain, and are designed to hang down the and cover the sides of the bed. The central panel is embroidered, with a ring of pink flowers, green leaves and brown twigs [CW 6/4/98].
Related Documents File - RDF 1998.9: Acquisition Record, dated 19/1/1998, for 'collection of material from Uganda'. Memo dated 21/1/1998 from Jeremy Coote to Julia Cousins, dated 23/1/1998 regarding enclosed invoice for £150 from Tania Kaiser for 'collection of artefacts from Northern Uganda'. This object appears on an attached list as item 12: "Embroidered bedsheet. Cuka. Made by Elizabeth Miriam Laker. Bought from the Imotong [sic] women's group for 10,000 U[gandan]Sh[illings]". It was purchased by PRM for £13. There is also a typed document on file, titled "Kiryandongo Refugee Settlement, Masindi District, Uganda. Background to objects collected from a predominantly Sudanese Acholi community in 1997 by Tania Kaiser". The refugee settlement is described as being 14 kms from Kiryandongo town, near Bweyale and Nyakadot. The population is predominantly Acholi, but other groups represented there include Latuko, Madi, Bari and some Zande. There is a small market within the settlement itself, but many people go to the market at nearby Bweyale. Handcrafts are rarely sold in the settlement or in Bweyale in any systematic way. Most commonly made objects are embroidered tablecloths or bed sheets and crocheted food covers or chair backs; these tend to be produced individually by woman to use or as gifts, or by women's groups associated with churches or small local development projects, who sell them to members of the community; none so far have managed to establish an external market. Individual women complain that they are unable to undertake these sorts of activities as they do not have access to the necessary materials [RTS 15/12/2003].
Pitt Rivers Museum label - PITT RIVERS MUSEUM. AFRICA, UGANDA, MASINDI DISTRICT; SUDANESE ACHOLI? Embroidered tablecloth [sic]. Coll. Tania Kaiser, 1997. 1998.9.11 [Textile label, sewn to back of object; RTS 22/2/2005].
Accession entry - Embroidered bed cover. The cloth consists of three royal blue panels, with red stitching joining the panels together and around the edges. Two of the panels are plain, and are designed to hang down the and cover the sides of the bed. The central panel is embroidered, with a ring of pink flowers, green leaves and brown twigs [CW 6/4/98].
Related Documents File - RDF 1998.9: Acquisition Record, dated 19/1/1998, for 'collection of material from Uganda'. Memo dated 21/1/1998 from Jeremy Coote to Julia Cousins, dated 23/1/1998 regarding enclosed invoice for £150 from Tania Kaiser for 'collection of artefacts from Northern Uganda'. This object appears on an attached list as item 12: "Embroidered bedsheet. Cuka. Made by Elizabeth Miriam Laker. Bought from the Imotong [sic] women's group for 10,000 U[gandan]Sh[illings]". It was purchased by PRM for £13. There is also a typed document on file, titled "Kiryandongo Refugee Settlement, Masindi District, Uganda. Background to objects collected from a predominantly Sudanese Acholi community in 1997 by Tania Kaiser". The refugee settlement is described as being 14 kms from Kiryandongo town, near Bweyale and Nyakadot. The population is predominantly Acholi, but other groups represented there include Latuko, Madi, Bari and some Zande. There is a small market within the settlement itself, but many people go to the market at nearby Bweyale. Handcrafts are rarely sold in the settlement or in Bweyale in any systematic way. Most commonly made objects are embroidered tablecloths or bed sheets and crocheted food covers or chair backs; these tend to be produced individually by woman to use or as gifts, or by women's groups associated with churches or small local development projects, who sell them to members of the community; none so far have managed to establish an external market. Individual women complain that they are unable to undertake these sorts of activities as they do not have access to the necessary materials [RTS 15/12/2003].
Pitt Rivers Museum label - PITT RIVERS MUSEUM. AFRICA, UGANDA, MASINDI DISTRICT; SUDANESE ACHOLI? Embroidered tablecloth [sic]. Coll. Tania Kaiser, 1997. 1998.9.11 [Textile label, sewn to back of object; RTS 22/2/2005].
